Tapping machine.



No. 672,205. Patented Apr. I6, 190|.

' L. D. CASTLE.

TAPPING MACHINE.

`(Application filed Oct. 1], 1900.)

(No Model.) 5vSheef`s-Sheet l.

No. 672,205. y Patented Apr. la, wol. L. n. CASTLE.

TAPPING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 1], 1900.)

(No Model.) 5 She 1n: nomas Psrcns co, PNoYoLl'mu.. wsNmnToN. D, c.

No. 672,205. Patented Apr. ls, nam. L4. n. CASTLE.

TAPPIN'G MAcHlNE.

(Applicaziqn med oct, 11, lima; (No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 3.

ma Nonms PETERS co. mom-umn.. wAsmNarcN. n. c.

Nn.72,2o5. Patented Apr. I6, |901. L. n. CASTLE.

TAPPING MACHINE.

(Application med oct. 11, 190m (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

@wwwa 1lb/2271955495. Ivauenor.' W Wk @fm @m l .4 Z {Harncz/.

mi: wams PETERS co, Puo'rauwu. wnsnmomn. D4 a No. 672,205. Pa'ented Apr. I6, |901. L. D. CASTLE.

TAPPING MACHINE.

(Applicatiqn filed Oct. 1], 1900.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

Unirse Smarts Weimar Ormes.

LEWIS D. CASTLE, OF GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOIIN T. KELLY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., AND GEORGE M. JONES, OF PITTSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA.

TAPPINGmll/lCl-MNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,205, dated April 16, 1901:..

Application tiled October 11, 1900. Serial No. 32,769. (No model.)

To (t/Z whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, LEWIS D. CASTLE, a resident of Greensburg, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tapping-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a screw-tapping m machine, and especially to a tapping-machine provided with a plurality of spindles adapted to thread pipe-elbows and similar articles, and has for one object a machine of this character provided with means whereby it may be adapted to thread both arms of the elbow either with right-hand threads or one of said arms with right-hand threads and the other with left-hand threads.

A further object of the invention is to prozo vide such a machine with improved reversing and stopping mechanism which is automatic in its action and which is adjustable to suit various types or sizes of elbows being tapped.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means on which the chucks which hold the articles are mounted, so that the latter can be changed as soon as the tap is clear of the article, and thus increase the output of the machine.

3o A further object of the invention is to improve a machine of this kind in details of construction, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved tappingmachine. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the chuck-turret, its carriage,and a portion of the machine-frame.

4o Fig. 5 is a plan view of the chuck-turret. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the turret-carriage. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through one of the tapping-spi ndles, showing the means for driving the same. Fig. 8 is a detail illustrating the reversing mechanism shown in one of its positions. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the reversing mechanism on the opposite position, and Fig. 10 is a sectional detail showing the means for changing the direction of 5o rotation of one of the tap-spindles.

The mechanism of my improved machine -is mounted upon a bed-frame 1, which is sup.-

ported upon suitable standards 2 2. Upon the bed-frame are` secured the housings or standards 3 3, four in number, the upper parts 55 of which are provided with suitable bearings to receive the journals of the tap-spindles 4,

5, 6, and 7, the spindles 4 and 5 being in line with each other, but facing in opposite directions, while the spindles and 7 are parallel 6o with each other and at right angles to the spindles 4 and 5. These spindles and their driving means are substantially alike, so that a description of one will suflice for a description of all. Each of these spindles has secured thereto, as by means of a spline,

a long hub 8, which serves as the journal for said spindle and is mounted in bearings in the frame or housing Secured to or integrally formed with this hub S is a large 7o gear-wheel 9 and a small gear-wheel 10, the former of which meshes with a gear-wheel 11, secured to a shaft 12, journaled in the lower part of the frame or housing 3 and which is provided on its outer end with the large gear-wheel 13, which is connected by intermediate gears to the driving-shaft of the machine, as will hereinafter appear. The outer end of each tap-spindle is reduced and screw-threaded, as at 14, and is surrounded 8o by the elongated nut 15, which is journaled in the housing or frame 3 and has a gearwheel 16, secured thereto by means of a nut 17, said nut being provided with notches 1S for receiving a Spanner-wrench for loosening and tightening the same. Also mounted in the upper part of the housing or frame 3 is a shaft 19, which at its inner end has secured thereto a gear-wheel 20, which meshes with the small gear-wheel 10 on the tap-spindle, 9o and at its outer end has secured thereto by means of the hand-nut 21 a gear-wheel 22, which meshes with'the gear-wheel 1b' on the nut 15. The thread on the reduced portion 14 of the tap-spindle is cut quite coarse-say 95 with a pitch of one-fourth of an inch-and it will be apparent that if the nut 15 is held stationary while the tap-spindle is being ro tated the latter will be fed endwise at the rate of the pitch of the screw-threads on the roo Vis driven by a cross-belt.

part 14. It will also be apparent that if the nut 15 is rotated in the same direction and at the same rate as the tap-spindle 4 the latter cannot receive any vendwise movement. The gears 10, 20, 21, and 16 rotate the nut l5 in the same direction as the tap-spindle, but at a slower speed, so that the latter is given an endwise movement which is less than the pitch of the screw-thread on the reduced portion 14. By removing the gears 16 and 21 and substituting in their place other gears of a different size the rate of rotation of the nut 15 will be varied, and by this simple means any desired rate of feeding of the tap-spindle can be secured, thereby adapting the machine to tap pipe-elbows with threads oflvarious pitches.

Extending the full length of the machine and mounted in suitable bearings in the bedframe 1 is the driving-shaft 24, -which is provided with two pairs of loose pulleys 25 25, one pulley of each pair being driven by a straight belt, While the other one of each pair Between the pairs of pulleys 25 is a hub or collar 26, which is splined to the shaft 24, so as to have endwise movement thereon, but to rotate therewith. This hub 26 has pivoted thereto the inner ends of two sets of toggle-arms 27, to the outer ends of which are secured suitable brake-shoes (not shown) for contacting with the inner surface of the rim of the pulleys 25. Each of the collars, furthermore, is provided with projecting pins 28, which engage the arms of forked levers 29, by means of which the hubs 26 are moved alternately in opposite directions. It will be readily understood that when the hubs 26 are moved in one direction the toggle-arms 27 on that side of the hubs will be straightened out, thereby causing the pulleys 25 on that side to be locked to said hubs and through said hubs to the driving-shaft 24, while in the reverse position the toggle-arms 27 on the opposite sides thereof will be straightened out, thereby locking th'e opposite pulleys to the driving-shaft. The parts are so designed and constructed that when the hub 26 is in its middle position 4neither 011e of the pulleys 25 will be locked to the driving-shaft, so that in this position of the clutches the machine will be inoperative and the pulleys 25 will run idle on the driving-shaft.

The driving-shaft is provided on each end with a spur-gear 30, which meshes with a similar gear 31, mounted on a stub-shaft secured in a bracket 32, mounted on the side of the bed-frame 1, in which bracket is also mounted the outer end of the driving-shaft 24. 0n one end of the machine the gearwheel 3l meshes directly with the large spurgear 13 and, through the shaft 12 and gears 1l and 9, imparts motion to the tapping-spindle 4. The tapping-spindle 5, however, at the opposite end of the machine faces in the opposite direction and if it were driven in the same manner would cut a left-hand instead of aright-hand screw-thread. In order to cause it to cut a right-hand screw-thread, an additional idle gear 33 is interposed between the gear 31 and the large spur-gear 13.

Mounted in lthe rear portion of the bedframe 2 and at right angles to the drivingshaft 24 is a shaft 35, to the forward end of which is secured the bevel-gear 36, which is adapted to be engaged by either one or the other of the bevel-pinions 37 and 38, splined to the driving-shaft 24. To the rear end of the shaft 35 is secured a spur-gear 39, which meshes directly with both of the gears 13 13, geared to the tapping-spindles 6 and 7, re spectively, so that both of these spindles are driven in the same direction. If the bevelgear 36 is in mesh with the bevel-pinion 37 on the main driving-shaft the spindles 6 and 7 will be driven in the same direction as the spindles 4 and 5; but if the bevel-gear 36 is in mesh with the bevel-pinion 38 these spindles will be driven in the opposite direction from the spindles 4 and 5, as will be readily understood, so that while the spindles 4 and 5 are cutting right-hand screw-threads in one arm of the pipe-elbows the spindles 6 and 7 will cut a left-hand screw-thread in the opposite arm of said couplings. This adjustment is secured by sliding the pinions 37 and 38 longitudinally on the shaft 24, the latter being provided with suitable feathers or splines 40, which take into grooves in the pinions. Also splined to the shaft 24, so as to slide thereupon, is the sleeve 41, said sleeve being interposed between the pinions 37 and 38 and being of such length that when one of said pinions is in mesh with the gear 36 the other one will be prevented from meshing therewith. To hold the pinions 37 and 38 and the sleeve 41 in the desired adjusted position, l provide a collar 43,which is composed of two parts hinged together, as at 44, and provided with perforated lugs 45, through which passes the bolt 46, by mea-nsof which the collar 43 can be rmly clamped on the shaft 24 behind either of the pinions 37 or 38, and thus prevent longitudinal movement of these pinions during the operation of the machine. As shown in Fig. 10, the pinion 37 is in mesh with the gear 38, and the collar 43 bears against the said pinion. In order to adjust the pinions to their opposite position, the collar 43 is removed and the pinion 38 is moved into mesh with the gear 36, the sleeve 41 moving the pinion 37 out of mesh with said gear. The collar 43 is then secured to the shaft 2'4, back of the pinion 38.

The clutch-shifting fork or lever 29 on the left-hand side of the machine is mounted on the shaft 48, which is secured to brackets 49, suitably secured to the bottom of the bedframe l, and is provided with a downwardlyprojecting arm 50. The clutch-shifting fork or lever on the right-hand side of the machine is mounted upon a rock-shaft 51, which is similarly mounted in brackets attached to the bottom of the bed-frame and is also pro- IOO IIO

IIS

vided with a downwardly-projecting arm 52, which is connected to the arm 50 at the opposite side of the machine by means of the connecting-rod 53, the latter being made in two lever 55, by means of which the clutches can be shifted to start the machine. This handlever projects below the rock-shaft, and on this projection is pivoted one end of the locking-lever 56, the other end of which is provided with the locking-finger 57 and shoulders 58 and 59. Secured to the bottom of the bed-frame l is a bracket 60, which projects forward and has bolted thereto a plate 6l, provided with the locking-nger 62 and with the upwardly-projecting portion 63, which lies in front of the locking-lever 56, the latter lying in the space between said projection 63 and the bracket 60. The finger 57 on the locking-lever 56 is designed to lie on either one or the other side of the finger 62 on the bracket and hold the clutch-shifting mechanism in either the position shown in Fig. 8 or that shown in Fig. 9. The locking-lever 56 is provided with an upwardly-projecting handle 64, by means of which it may be released from the finger 62 by hand, as maybe desirable in case of an accident or other cause. In the regular operation of the ma` chine, however, this locking-lever 56 is adapted to be automatically raised to disengage the finger 57 from the finger 62 by means of the dogs 65 and 66, which are secured to a sliding rod 67, sovas to be longitudinally adjustable thereon, set-screws 68 being used for this purpose. The rod 67 is mounted in the lower ends of brackets 69, `secured to the bedframe l, and said rod is screw-threaded at one end, as at 70, upon which portion runs the nut 71, which is provided With sprocket-teeth 72, which are connected by means of the sprocket-chain 73 to a sprocket-Wheel 74, secured to the shaft 19 at the left-hand end of the machine. The rod 67 is mounted in the brackets 69, so as to be freely movable longitudinally, but held against rotation, and the nut 7l is held against endwise movement, so that as said nut is rot-ated on the threaded portion of the rod the latter is moved longitudinally, the direction of movement being reversed Whenever the shaft 19 is reversed, which reversal takes place at each reversal of the tapping-spindles. Surrounding the rod 67 and loose thereupon is a collar 75, which is connected by means of the link 76 to the lower end ofthe hand-lever 55, and interposed between said collar 75 and the dog 65 is a spiral spring 77.

The operation of this part of the mechanism is as follows: When the locking-lever is in the position indicated in Fig. l-that is, with the finger 57 resting upon the finger 62- the clutches are in their neutral positions and the machine is idle. In order to start the machine, the hand-lever 55 is moved to the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 8, thereby drawing the locking-lever 56 slightly to the right, so that the finger 57 drops on that side of the locking-finger 62 and holds the lever 55 and clutches in locking engagement with one of the pulleys 25. This starts the machine, and the tap-spindles are driven forward to tap the coupling, and at the same time the sliding rod 67 is, by means of the sprocket-wheels and chain described, caused to move toward the left, this movement causing the spring 77 to be compressed between the dog 65 and the collar 75; but the latter is prevented from moving because it is connected to the lower end of the lever 55, which in turn is locked in position by the lockinglever 56. The continued movement` of the rod 67 toward the left, however, brings the dog 65 into engagement with the shoulder 58 of the locking-lever 56 and raises the latter to disengage the linger 57 from the linger 62. The lever 55, being thus released, the spring 77, which is under tension, moves the collar 75 quickly toward the left,I and the latter through the connecting -link 76 rocks the shaft 5l, thereby bringing the clutches into engagement with the opposite pulleys 25 and also moving the hand-lever 55 and locking-lever 56 to the positionindicated in full lines in Fig. Q-that is, with the finger 57 on the left side of the finger 62. The parts are thus locked in this position and the machine is reversed, thereby backing the taps out of the couplings and causing the rod 67 to move toward the right. This movement of the' rod 67 causes the dog 65 to recede from the collar 75 and relieves the spring 77 from tension, and this movement continues until the dog 66 engages the shoulder 59 on the locking-lever 56 and raises the latter to disengage the finger 57 from the finger 62, when the reaction of the parts and the tension of the clutches on the pulleys 25 will cause the parts to assume the position shown in Fig. l, thereby bringing the machine to a standstill. No reversal ot' the machine can take place at this time, for the reason that the spring 77 is not Linder tension. To again start the inachine, the hand-lever 55 is moved to the position indicated in Fig. 8, when the inachineis again put in motion and operates automatically to advance the taps and to back them out, when the machine again stops, this cycle of movements being continued at the pleasure ot' the operator.

The bed-frame l has aforwardly-projecting portion, as at 80, which is provided with ways 81, in which slides the turret-carriage 82, the latter being provided on its lowersurface with a rack 83, which is engaged by a pinion 84. secured to one end of a shaft 85, mounted in brackets 86, depending from the bed-frame. On the outer end of the shaft is secured a lever 87, by means of `which the IOO 4and hand-wheels 96.

gear 84 is rotated and the carriage moved forward and back, as will be readily understood. The upper portion of the carriage 82 is provided with a circular flange 88, which is eugaged by an inwardlyprojecting ring 89, secured to the lower edge of the turret 90, so that said turret is freely rotatable on said carriage, but prevented from falling off from the same. The turret 90 is provided with four vertical grooves 91 for receiving the chucks 92, the latter being held in place by means of the stud-bolts 93 and are provided with the usual jaws 94, operating-screws 95, The turret is provided with two diametrically-arranged sockets or bushings 97, and the bed-frame 1 is provided with a similar socket or bushing 98. Mounted in the carriage 82 is the shaft 99,wh ich is provided on its outer end with a hand-wheel 100 and on its inner end with a spur-pinion 101, which meshes with the annular rack-teeth on the circular locking-bolts 102 and 103, mounted in a vertical position in sockets 104 in the carriage. Secured to the shaft 99 is an arm 105, which is connected by a stiff spiral spring 106 to one side of the carriage, as shown, so that the shaft .tends constantly to rotate in one direction. The locking-bolt 102 normally is seated in one of the sockets 97 in the turret, while the bolt 103 is normally seated in the socket 98 in the bed-frame. In this position of the parts the turret and carriage are locked in position to hold the article in the chucks in front of the tappingspindles. As soon, however, as the taps clear the article thel handwheel 100 is turned to rotate the shaft 99 against the tension of the spring 1061 This movement of the shaft through the pinion 101 raises the locking-bolt 103 and vlowers the locking-bolt 102 to disengage said bolts from their respective sockets,so that the carriage 82 can be moved forward away from the tapping-spindles and the turret 90can be rorated on said carriage. While one pair of pipeelbows are being tapped, the operator places another pairin the remaining two chucks, and as soon as the taps have cleared the elbows being tapped the operator turns the handwheel,as indicated,and simultaneously moves the lever 87 to withdraw the turret-carriage from the tapping-spindles. As soon as the carriage is withdrawn-slightly the hand-wheel 100 can be released, for the end of the lockingbolt 103 will rest upon the upper surface of the bed-frame, and thus prevents the spring 106 rotating the shaft 99. The turret is now rotated by hand, and inasmuch as the carriage has been moved away from the tappingyspindles this rotation will not be interfered with by the taps, so that it is not necessary to wait until the latter have backed out far enough to permit this rotation. This saves considerable time and increases the output of the machine. As soon as the turret is rotated the lever 87 is moved in the opposite direction to move the carriage toward the tapspindles, and as soon as it has moved sufficiently far to bring the bolt 103 over the socket 98 the spring 106 rocks the shaft 99 and causes the bolts 102 and 103 to engage their respective sockets, thereby again locking the turret and carriagein position. This operation is repeated for the tapping of each set of pipecouplings or other articles.

The operation of the machine as a whole will be readily understood from the foregoing description. It will be observed that the machine is semi-automatic in its operation in that it taps the article and automatically backs the taps out and then stops. The operator during the tapping of one pair of ar ticles removes the previously-tapped articles from the other pair of chucks and replaces them by blanks, and as soon as the taps have cleared the articles being tapped he removes the carriage outward and rotates the turret and then moves the carriage inward again, the carriage and turret being automatically locked in position, and as soon as the machine comes to a standstill he moves the hand-lever 55 to again start the machine. The object of stopping the machine after each cycle of operations is to prevent injury to the machinery in case the operator should be inefficient or not sufficiently rapid to change the articles in the chucks. The pitch of the threads being cut can be changed at will by merely changing the gears 16 and 21, and the machine can be made to cut the threads in both arms of the elbow right hand or one right hand and the other left hand, as desired, and the depth to which the screw-threads are cut in the articles can be regulated by adjusting the dogs 65 and 66 on thev shaft 67, thereby causing the reversal of the tapping-spindles at any desired point. Should both taps 0perating upon a given article not be cutting to the same depth,it is merely necessary to loosen the hand-nut 22 anddisengage the wheels 21 and 16 and give the nut 15 a few turns to feed that particular tap-spindle either in or out as necessary in order to bring it in the same relative position as the other tap and then replace the gear 21 and nut 22.

What l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tapping-machine, the combination withla tapping-spindle and driving mechanism therefor, of means for reversing the driving mechanism, a lock for said reversing means, a reciprocating'dog movable from the tapping-spindle for releasing said lock,a movable abutment, a link connecting the same with the reversing means, and a spring adapted to be put in tension when the dog moves in one direction and bearing against said movable abutment for actuating the reversing means.

2. In a tapping-machine, the combination with a tapping-spindle anddriving mechanism therefor, of means for reversing the driving mechanism, a lock for holding said re versing means in both positions, two reciprocating dogs movable from the tapping-spindle for releasing said lock, a movable abutment, a link connecting the same with the reversing means, and a spring adapted to be putin tension when the dogs move in one direction and bearing against said movable abut-ment for actuating the reversing means.

3. In a tapping-machine, the combination with a tapping-spindle and driving mechanism therefor, of means for reversing the driving mechanism, a lock for holding said reversing means in both positions, a reciprocating rod movable from the tapping-spindle, two adjustable dogs on said rod for releasing said lock, a collar movably mounted on said rod, a link connecting the same with the reversing means, and a spring adapted to be put in tension when the rod moves in one direction and bearing against said collar for actuating the reversing means.

et. In a tapping-machine, the combination with a tapping-spindle and driving mechanism therefor, means for reversing the driving mechanism, a locking-lever movable with the reversing means, a fixed stop adapted to be engaged by the locking-lever in both positions of the reversing means, a spring, means for putting said spring under tension and then disengaging the locking-levenfrom the ixed stop, a movable abutment against which said spring is adapted to bear, and a link connecting said abutment with the reversing means.

5. In a tapping-machine, the combination with a tapping-spindle and driving mechanism therefor, of means for reversing the driving mechanism, a locking-lever movable with the reversing means, a fixed stop adapted to be engaged by the locking-lever in both positions of the reversing means, a reciprocating rod movable from the tapping-spindle,

two adjustable dogs on said rod for disengaging the locking-lever from the fixed stop, a spring, said spring` being adapted to be put under tension when the rod moves in one direction, a movable abutment against which said spring is adapted to bear, and means for connecting said abutment to the reversing means, whereby when the locking-lever is released and the spring put under tension the latter will move the reversing means.

6. In a metal-working machine, the combination with the tool-spindles, of a sliding carriage, a rotatable turret mounted on said carriage, locking means for said carriage and turret, and a common means for actuating both of said locking means.

7. In a metal-working machine, the combination with the tool-spindles, of a sliding carriage, a rotatable turret mounted on said carriage, locking means for said carriage and turret, a common means for releasing both of said locking means, and a spring for returning said locking means to lock the turret and carriage.

8. In a metal-working machine, the combination with the tool-spindles, of a sliding carriage, a rotatable turret mounted on said carriage, locking-pins for said turret and carriage, and a rock-shaft having means for engaging both of said locking-pins.

9. In a metal-Working machine, the combination with the tool-spindles, of a sliding carriage, a rotatable turret mounted on said carriage, locking-pins for said carriage and turret, a rock-shaft having means for engaging both of said locking-pins, and a spring for returning said shaft to its normal position.

l0. In a metal-working machine, the combination with the tool-spindles, of a sliding carriage, a rotatable turret mounted on said carriage, locking-pins mounted in said carriage, one adapted to project upwardly into the turret and the other downwardly into the bedframe, a rock-shaft mounted in said carriage and having means for engaging both of .said locking-pins.

Il. In a tapping-machine, the combination with two tapping-spindles set at an angle to each other, a driving-shaft, means for driving and reversing said shaft, connections between said shaft and one of said spindles, a bevel-gear connected to the other of said spindles, two bevel-pinions on the driving-shaft on opposite sides of said bevel gear, and

means for securing either one of said bevelpinions in mesh with said bevel-gear.

In testimony whereof I, the said LEWIS D. CASTLE, have hereunto set my hand.

LEWIS D. CASTLE. Witnesses:

F. W. WINTER, ROBERT C. TorTEN. 

